Vacuum-tube socket



Nov. 8, 1927. 1,648,797

M. COHEN ET AL VACUUM TUBE SOCKET Filed AMI. 26, 1926 Patented Nov. 8,1927.

UNITED TATES 1,648,797 PATENT OFFICE.

mourn COHEN A'ND BROR r. s'rn mAN, orwoncns'rnn, massacnosnrrs,ASSIGNORS 'ro STANDARD aamo CORPORATION, or woacns'rnn, massacnosnrrs, Acon- PORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

VACUUM-TUBE SOCKET.

Application filed August 2a, 1926. Serial N5. 181,636.

This invention relates to improvements in vacuum tube sockets and moreparticularly to the terminal elements for employment in the same.

s It has heretofore been proposed to make sockets for receiving theconductor prongs at the base of the vacuum tube in such mannerv thatthey are adapted for various patterns of tubes with long or shortprongs. It

1 has also been proposed to assemble the socket of various elements,and, in particular to prepare such sockets upon insulating panels to belaced within a radio apparatus.

e present invention proposes improve- 'ments in the conductor elementsof such sockets, these conductor elements being capable of beingassembledupon a separate insulating member to torma. socket which may bemoved as such, or to be secured at appropriate points of an insulatingpanel in a radio apparatus.

A featureof the invention is the simplicity and cheapness of theassembly, and the ease of locating it withino'r upon a radio apparatus.

With these and other objects in view as will appear in the course of thefollowing specification, the invention is illustrated on theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a tube socket assembled upon an insulatingplate, with four of the elements in position and adapted to engage thefour prongs at the base of a standard vacuum tube.

' .Fig 2 is a section through the panel on v sides of this member 17pass through notches line 2-2 of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 2* is an end view of the gmde plate of one of the elements, with aportion of a panel. Fi 3 is a perspective view of an as-- semb edelement.

Fig. 4 is a. plan view of a modified form of the element.

In these drawings, an insulatingp'anel 10 has a'number of apertures 11therethrough, corresponding to the number of prongs upon the vacuum tubewhich is to be supported, and which will be four with the customarythree electrode electron dischar e tube of current use. Mounted insubstantially radial relation to the geometric center of these aperturesare a number of guide plates 12 corresponding to the number ofapertures. Each of these guide plates, as shown in F1g. 3.

. tion. g The several pron has a flat portion adapted to fit against theinsulating base 10, and has at the end adjacent its respective aperturean upturned other end is headed over to clamp the guide plate 12 intorigid relation with the base, so that it cannot be removed therefrom.The other rivet 15 is headed over into" relation with the base 10, andat its other end is headed a slight distance above the upper surface ofthe guide plate 12 in the form shown in Fig. 2.

Each of these guide plates is provided with a bent wire contact andfastening member 17 which is bent at approximately the middle of itslength to fit around the stem of the rivet 15. This member 17 maysimplybe of U-shape, Fig. 2; or it may have a closed loop at itsv end as shownat 18 in Fig. 3'. It is made of wire of suitable size and strength tofrictionally grip therespiective prong of the vacuum tube and hold t elatter against axial displacement, and alsoto serve to establish a firmelectric contact therewith; its ends adjacent the respective aperture 11are bent inward so as to project chordally over.

the aperture as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The

14 and are guided between the flat portion of the element 12 and theshoulders 14 on the upright standard; v I

In the modified form of Fig. 4, the'wire member 17 is located about therivet 16' most distant fromthe aperture 11, and is guided beneath theflange of the rivet 15".

v In order to insert a vacuum tube in a radio apparatus havin such asocketwherelinto receive the tube, t e tube isfplaced with its pro orpron above their respective apertur s andi'pii s hed downward intoposienter between the forward ends 18! of, t e member 17, and causethemto o rate of-theirown resiliency. The member- 1, is preventedfrommovin downward, when t e elements are. locate above the insulat ngplate, by its, engagement member 17 will be prevented from followingalongwith it by the engagement of its arms in the notches 14 and againstthe shoulders orstandard 13.

'-A binding post 20 is located in one of the tubular rivets 15 or 16,and serves to facilitate the connection of the conductors in electricalrelation to the respective prong of the tube.

It is apparent that the members so constructed may be employed eitherupon a separate base plate 10, as shown in Fig. 1,-or

may be employed by the manufacture of radio apparatus for assembly uponan insulating'panel which carries other elements of the radio apparatus.

While in the above description it has been stated and in the drawings ithas been shown that the elements are located above the insulating'plate, it is obvious thatthis is not esential but that they may belocated beneath the same, so the prongs of the tube may be introducedfirst'through the guide apertures 11, and thereafter pass between andinto con-' tact with the ends 18" of the member 17 Other obvious changesmay be made in the form of the parts and their arrangement withoutdeparting fromthe scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

,1. In a terminal element for a vacuum.

tube socket, a guide plate having an upstanding member integraltherewith, means to hold said guide plate in predetermined relation uponan insulating panel, and a resilient contact member secured to saidplate by said securing means and movable in a plane parallel to saidplate, and guided in such movement by a notch in said upstanding member.

2. In a terminal element for a vacuum tube socket, a metal plate havingan upstanding member integral therewith, said member having guideshoulders thereon, a wire loop with arms'received and guided by saidplate and said shoulders and thereby limited in movement in onedirection, means on said plate to hold said loo against movement inanother direction at right angles to said first direction, said armsbeing individually movable in a plane at right angles to said first twodirections whereby to receive and establish electrical conductiverelation with the prongs of the vacuum tube.

3. Ina Vacuum tube socket, an insulating base, a metal plate on saidbaseand having an upstanding member thereon with guide shoulders, a devicepassing into said base and plate to hold the same in rigid relation, :1rebent wire loophaving its bend located above and held in position bysaid device,said plate having apertures therein forthe respective prongof the vacuum tube, the arms of said wire l'oop being guided by the saidplate and said shoulders and extending chord ally across the aperturefor engagement by the respective prong of the vacuum tube.

In testimony whereof, we ailix our signatures.

MONTE COHEN. BROR r, STENMAN.

